Buffalo Creek is a
[U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data]
The National Map
, accessed August 15, 2011 free-flowing
tributary
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...
stream of the
South Branch Potomac River
The South Branch Potomac River has its headwaters in northwestern Highland County, Virginia near Hightown along the eastern edge of the Allegheny Front. After a river distance of ,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolu ...
, itself a tributary of the
Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augus ...
, making it a part of the
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the ...
watershed
Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to:
Hydrology
* Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins
* Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...
. Buffalo Creek is located in west-central
Hampshire County in the U.S. state of
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...
.
Because the stream flows through several small farms, Buffalo Creek primarily serves agriculture purposes with segments used for livestock watering.
History
Buffalo Creek and its eponymous hollow were named so during the eighteenth century due to the abundant populations of buffalo in their vicinity. In 1755 at the onset of the
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...
,
Fort Forman was constructed by Captain William Forman near the banks of Buffalo Creek, and the stream served as the fort's source of water. A historical highway marker along
West Virginia Route 28
West Virginia Route 28 is a north–south route through the Potomac Highlands of the U.S. state of West Virginia. The southern terminus of the route is at West Virginia Route 39 in Huntersville. The northern terminus is at the Maryland state l ...
marks the approximate location of the stockade fort.
Headwaters and course
The stream's headwaters lie along the eastern flanks of
South Branch Mountain
South Branch Mountain is a mountain ridge that runs southwest to northeast through Hampshire and Hardy counties in the Eastern Panhandle of the U.S. state of West Virginia, rising to its greatest elevation of 3,028 feet (923 m) above sea-level in ...
southwest of
Three Churches. From its source, Buffalo Creek meanders in a southwest direction along the forested foot of South Branch Mountain. The stream winds a northwesterly path through a gorge that leads it through the Buffalo Hollow in South Branch Mountain. It is through this hollow that Buffalo Creek parallels Buffalo Hollow Road (West Virginia Secondary State Route 28/1) until its intersection with
West Virginia Route 28
West Virginia Route 28 is a north–south route through the Potomac Highlands of the U.S. state of West Virginia. The southern terminus of the route is at West Virginia Route 39 in Huntersville. The northern terminus is at the Maryland state l ...
. Buffalo Creek flows beneath West Virginia Route 28 and the
South Branch Valley Railroad
The South Branch Valley Railroad is a railroad in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The branch line, which parallels the South Branch Potomac River, runs north from Petersburg to Green Spring, where it connects to the national rail net ...
at
Vance before emptying into the South Branch Potomac River.
See also
*
List of West Virginia rivers
This is a list of rivers in the U.S. state of West Virginia.
List of West Virginia rivers includes streams formally designated as rivers. There are also smaller streams (i.e., branches, creeks, drains, forks, licks, runs, etc.) in the state. Exc ...
References
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Rivers of Hampshire County, West Virginia
Rivers of West Virginia
Tributaries of the Potomac River